Clasp.



PATENTBD APR.16,.1907.

o. FISHER. o LAsP. APPLIUL'IIOIA FILED SEPT. 21. 1900.

W/ TNESSE S Arron/VHS PATENT OFFIOE.

OLIVER FISHER, OF SLOAN, IOWA.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

retained April 1e, 1907.

Application filed September 21, 1906. Serial No. 335,586.

To a/ZZ 'wh/0m t may concern,.-

Be 1t known that LOLIVER FISHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of` Sloan, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Clasp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in clasps, more especially designed as a means for holding the sections of stovepipe together, although not limited to this particular use, as it may be used with advantage in other relations wherea safe, strong, and durable claspl is desired.

One embodiment of the invention consists of two sheet-metal end pieces each provided with guideways, one of said end pieces'having an apertured 'liap connected thereto adapted to be passed over the guideways of the other end piece and a locking-plate slidable in the guideways of both end pieces for connecting them together, combined with a spring member acting to bind the parts together when inl locked relation and also providing a stop to prevent the accidental displacement of the locking-plate.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of myi1nproved clasp as applied to two sections of a stovepipe. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the locking-plate withdrawn to unlocked position .and the connecting-flap removed from the guideways of the opposite end piece.4 Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the claspwith the locking-plate removed therefrom. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the same'. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the other portion of the clasp. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the clasp on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 8 is a corresponding view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 2.

The invention comprises two sheet-metal end pieces 1 and 2, having means at their outer ends to attach them to a belt, stovepipe, or other article, that being shown comprising apertures for receiving rivets or like devices. Each of the end pieces is provided with offsets 3 intermediate its length to bring their opposed end portions. in an elevated position. The end piece 1 is bent down at each edge of its elevated part, providing flanges 4, and has a tongue cut out intermediate thereof which is bent upwardly and outwardly, providing a guideway 5. A second guideway 6, oppositely arranged to the guideway 5, is formed by bending an eX- tenslon 7 of reduced width underneath and upon the end piece and cutting therefrom a corresponding tongue, which is bent in substantially the same shape, but in the opposite direction, forming the opposed guideway 6.

The edges of the elevated portion ofthe end piece 2 are bent over the top face thereof toward each other, providing guideways 8. The end piece 2 is also constructed with an extension 9 of reduced width, which is bent downwardly and inwardly to form a hook member. (Best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.) The end of said hook member loosely iits into a pocket 10, formed by bending the tongue of a sheet-plate 11 of spring metal upon itself to form a hook, as fully disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. Arms 12 at each side of the tongue of the springlate 11 are formed with a kink or curve a out the center of their length and press at their extremities on the bottom face of the end piece 1 when it is locked with the end piece 2. The springplate 11 at its opposite end has a projection 14, made by folding its end sidewise upon itself, as disclosed in Fig. 8, said projection lbeing norm ally passed through an aperture in the end piece 2.

The extension 9,- forming the hook member of the end piece 2, engages a slot in one end of a flap 13, permitting the iiap to freely swing and be projected over the guideways 5 and 6 of the end piece 1, an oblong opening 15 in the free end of the iiap being provided for this purpose.

.A locking-plate 16, of sheet metal, is slidable in the guideways 8 and is bifurcated at its inner end, as best shown in Fig. 1, for engaging with the guideways 5 and 6 of the plate 1 when pushed to an inward position.

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For affording a convenient means for operating the locking-plate it is preferably made with an upwardly-projecting lip 17, formed by bending the outer end of the plate upon itself, as shown in the sectional views in Figs. 2 and 3. After the locking-plate has beenpushed to an inward osition to lock the end pieces together, as il ustrated in Fig. 1, the projection 14. springs upwardly through the aperture in the endljpiece 2 nandmat the rear of TIO the lip 17, thereby preventing any accidental displacement of the locking-plate and securely holding the parts in locked relation.

From the construction of the spring-plate 11 it is obvious that the spring-arms l2 will press on the under face of the end piece l when the clasp is locked and bind the lockingplate in the guideways and 6, in addition to forcing upwardly the projection 14, providing a stop for the locking-plate, as described. g

I have described and illustrated the invention in detail in order that the construction and operation might be fully understood. I, however, regard the precise embodiment as not material and consider that I am entitled to such modifications as fall within thel scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces each having guideways, a member provided with an aperture connected to one of said end .pieces and adapted to be passed over the guideways ofthe other, and a plate slidable in the guideways of both end pieces for locking them together.

2. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces each having guideways, a member provided with an aperture connected to one of said end pieces and adapted to be passed over the guideways of the other, a lockingplate slidable in the guideways of both end pieces for locking them together, and a spring member having a projection to provid e a stop for the locking-plate.

3. A clasp comprising end pieces one of which is provided with guiding means, a locking member slidably mounted in the guiding means, and a member connected to the end piece having the guiding means and adapted to engage with the other end piece.

4. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces each having guideways, an apertured member connected to one of said end pieces adapted to be passed over the'guideways of the other, and a locking-plate slidably mounted in the guideways of one end piece and having a bifurcation at one en d for engaging in the guideways of the other.

5. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces each having guideways, a lockingplate slidable in the guideways of one end piece having a bifurcation for engaging in the guideways of the other, and means for connecting the end pieces together.

6. A clasp comprising end pieces, means for connecting the end pieces together, slid-- able means for locking the connecting means in place, and a spring member for binding the locking means and forming a stop therefor to prevent its accidental displacement..

7. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces each provided with an offset and guideways, a locking-plate slidable in the Ouideways of one end piece and having a bi- `furcation for engaging the guideways of the other, means for connecting the end pieces together, and spring means for normally pressing the connecting means in a direction to bindingly engage the locking-plate when the latter is in locked position.

8. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces, each having guideways formed as an integral part thereof, an apertured flap connected to one end piece, a locking-plate slidably mounted in the guideways of said end piece, a spring member provided with a pocket engaged by said end piece, spring-arms carried by said spring member acting to normally press the flap in a direction to bindingly engage the locking-plate when the latter is in locked position, and a projection carried by the spring member to form a stop for the locking-plate, for the purpose described.

9. A clasp comprising sheet-metal end pieces, each having guideways formed as an integral part thereof, a locking-plate slidably mounted in the guideways of one end piece, an apertured fiap connected to said lastnamed end piece adapted to be passed over the guideways of the other, and a spring member having means at its ends to normally press the flap in a direction to bindingly engage the locking-plate when the latter is in lockedposition and form a stop to prevent the accidental displacement of the locking-plate.

"In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER FISHER. Witnesses G. D. MoNTRoss, S. L. FRIsBIE.

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